The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is now 80 miles across and the size of Jamaica, and according to new reports is five times worse than first thought, leaking around 5000 barrels into the sea, as opposed to the 1000 barrels first estimated.

The new estimates were released after the discovery of another leak from the pipeline crippled after fire ravaged the Deepwater Horizon rig, and early attempts by robotic submarines to seal the well have failed. Despite the new leak, BP officials have claimed the original estimate of 1000 barrels a day is closer to the truth. However US Coast Guard Rear Admiral Mary Landry disagreed with the statement at a news conference and said she was relying on the new estimate of 5000 barrels from the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration.